Rugby League Tri Nations

Anyone else following this?Tri nations series between NZ, Australia and Great Britain. Scheduling is a bit bizarre, NZ and Aus played each other twice in a row first up which means we now have 4 games back to back.Australia have beaten NZ in the 1st 2 matches, last weekend coming from 7 points behind with 5 minutes to go to win! Meaning NZ have to beat us this weekend to stay alive. If we win, we'd be pretty close to the final already. Unfortunately it's in Christchurch and they have hardly sold any tickets as League is not very popular down there. If it was in Auckland I'd go for sure, but alas the Auckland match was NZ-Australia last week.

For anyone interested it's pretty tight, we are 6-2 down at half time. Butchered a couple of great chances to score. Morley got himself on report for a high tackle within the 1st 2 minutes as expected, lucky not to be sent off again tbh.

Very unlucky. We had so many good chances, bombed at least 5 tries before they ran away with it to 18-2. Scored twice as consolation in the last 10 mins. Still, that was good for the points difference. Hopefully we can keep it close against Australia (assuming we will lose both times), and beat NZ 2nd time around, then could still make the final.

Bit of a scandal going on. NZ have been playing this Australian guy who apparently had a Kiwi Grandmother so was eligible. However, it's now emerged he only had a Kiwi-born Great Grandmother and should not in fact be eligible. He has only lived here for 2 years so is not elgible by residency. They are talking about possibly docking the points from the win. It's also emerged that while NZ officials were not aware of this before they played Australia, they were aware before they played us the other day, which doesn't help their case.Still, probably end up with a fine and slap on the wrists.

Bit of a scandal going on. NZ have been playing this Australian guy who apparently had a Kiwi Grandmother so was eligible. However, it's now emerged he only had a Kiwi-born Great Grandmother and should not in fact be eligible. He has only lived here for 2 years so is not elgible by residency. They are talking about possibly docking the points from the win. It's also emerged that while NZ officials were not aware of this before they played Australia, they were aware before they played us the other day, which doesn't help their case.Still, probably end up with a fine and slap on the wrists.

Yep they lost the points and he's been banned for the rest of the series. Enhances our chances of making the final. If we lose both games against Australia as expected, the 2nd game against NZ will be a decider as to who gets through.Shouldn't feel any sympathy for them. It's not as if he's even a superstar. It's pretty embarrassing for them that they needed to pick and Australian IMO. Fair enough they were under the impression he was eligible before the 1st game of the series (in which he didn't actually take part, I think due to injury) but then they became aware he was ineligible before the 2nd match and still played him in the 2nd and 3rd matches knowing that.

Brilliant game Got home from fireworks at half time so watched the 2nd half which began 6-6. We scored early to take it to 12-6, they hit back to 12-12. Then the key moment. Kick over the top from them on the last tackle, full back slipped on his arse so we had noone home, it bounced into the in goal, they had 2 players, 1 dived on it to score, yet one of our players (I think it was the new guy Gareth Raynor, a late replacement) appeared from nowhere, smashed his knee into the Aussie and sent the ball out his hands and somehow a seemingly certain try was no try. Soon after and we scored again to take it to 18-12.

10 minutes to go we had a penalty to probably win it but Sean Long missed a simple kick, then moments later missed a simple drop goal and I though the Aussies were sure to score twice and win it. They had about 3 sets in a row 30m from our line but we defended it then on a last tackle a kick through from them was cut out by Long, he stuck out his foot and kicked it up in the air, sprinted and gathered it himself, got into their half, passed it on to another guy who was tackled briliantly. Then we spread it out wide quickly and Raynor scored in the corner to win it. Drop goal a minute later sealed it 23-12. Brilliant victory. Have had to put up with it all week from the NZers - "never mind we had our points docked, we only have to beat the poms next week to make the final as Australia are sure to smash them this week, no worries." Even when they reported the points loss on the news it was "we will probably still make the final if as expected Australia beat the poms in their 2 clashes." Very sweet tasting victory.